2022 Federal Priorities
Canadian Federal Priorities
The Cities Initiative Board of Directors recently adopted its 2022 Canadian federal priorities as part of its mid-year meeting. These priorities help set the agenda for outreach with the Government of Canada and federal parliamentarians for this year.
The approval of the Canadian advocacy priorities coincides with the federal government’s pre-budget consultations and were presented to the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, along with other related Cabinet ministers. The priorities will also be shared with Members of Parliament who represent ridings along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin to help build momentum for the Cities Initiative’s policy proposals.
These priorities have been outlined under six themes calling on the Government of Canada to:
- Implement a Canada Water Agency that will support the long-term viability of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin and the communities it sustains;
- Leverage federal resources and tools to support climate adaptation for coastal communities in the basin;
- Engage municipalities in the development of climate change adaptation tools;
- Enable municipalities to protect water quality for their communities;
- Address nuisances and pollutants affecting the quality of our precious freshwater resources; and
- Support the growth of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Blue Economy.
View Canadian Federal Priorities
Shared Priorities with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission partnered to share common priorities both organizations would like to see federal government undertake for advancing equitable restoration, revitalization and resilience for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.
This is the first time the Cities Initiative and GLFC have come together to draft a statement of priorities ahead of a Canadian budget and speaks to the strong cooperation between both our organizations
U.S. Federal Priorities
During its mid-year meeting in early February, the Cities Initiative Board of Directors adopted its 2022 U.S. federal priorities, which set the agenda for our outreach to Congress and federal agencies over the course of the year. This includes a suite of specific funding and policy priorities organized in seven categories:
- Remove Obstacles and Ensure the Efficient Administration of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
- Pass the Build Back Better Act with $550 Billion to Address Climate Change and Other Priorities
- Safeguard Drinking Water and Advance Equity in Water Services
- Sustain Great Lakes Restoration and Revitalization
- Help Great Lakes Cities Strengthen Coastal Resilience and Respond to Impacts from Climate Change
- Protect the Great Lakes from Invasive Carp and other Destructive Invasive Species
- Strengthen the Great Lakes Navigation System
The document calls on Congress and the Biden Administration to support priorities that sustain economic recovery and catalyze long-term revitalization of Great Lakes cities. It emphasizes that investing in Great Lakes restoration, water infrastructure modernization, and coastal resilience will help shoreline communities safeguard drinking water, respond to impacts from climate change, revitalize waterfront areas, and accelerate economic growth.
View the U.S. Federal Priorities
Joint Statement on U.S. Federal Priorities
The Cities Initiative is joining nine other Great Lakes regional agencies and organizations in a joint statement of common priorities to accelerate progress, foster equity, build resilience, and ensure the Great Lakes are a source of drinking water, environmental treasure and economic engine for North America. The joint statement presents a powerful, unified voice from diverse groups representing Great Lakes states, cities, conservation and environmental groups, business and industry, tribes and ports and commercial vessel operators.